I believe that if you are blessed, it is a MUST that you share those blessings with other.  You must be a light in someone life.

Unfortunately, Eczema is an autoimmune disease that doesn't have a cure.  There are things you can do reduce the symptoms.  

1. Know your eczema triggers. You can get an allergy test to narrow down your eczema triggers.  If you can get an allergy test or if your child is too young for an allergy test, you can keep a journal.  Journaling can help narrow down what is triggering the eczema flairs.  You will write down every place you have been, the activities you have done for the day, and what you or your child has eaten. 
2. Use a great moisturizer like All Over Butter or Ultimate Hydration. They are made formulated to provide relief for people with dry, sensitive, eczema prone skin.
3.  Stay hydrated.  Staying hydrated from the inside out is very important. Drinking water helps provide some of the much needed moisture that your skin is craving. 

Yes, eczema can appear in patch.  For some it only appears on the hands, for others it appears in the crevices of their skin, for others it appears around their mouths.  Each person is different.  But for infants, it's common to appear either on their face, in the crease of their arm, knee, or back.

No matter where it appears, it can be very irritating.  For infants, it can be a little tricky because they can't communicate with you. If your doctor prescribes hydrocortisone cream, apply it at night so that your child can get some rest.  30 seconds after applying the hydrocortisone cream, generously apply All Over Butter or Ultimate Hydration.

Water is a super important to our bodies. Especially if you suffer from Eczema. An adult body consists of 55% to 65% water.  When our body is dehydrated, it doesn't work properly.  The skin becomes super dry, nails and hair become brittle, and some of our organs don't function properly.

If you are anything like I use to be, drinking water is a pain.  I started off by adding lemons to my water.  I found squeezing the juice in the water instead of placing it directly in the water gave it a little more flavor.  I also sometimes use water enhancement drops for extra flavor.  Whatever you have to do to increase your water intake is fine.  Just get it in.  Your body will love you for it. 

Be sure that you are using a good moisturizer like All Over Butter or Ultimate Hydration to help seal in (All Over Butter) or add moisture (Ultimate Hydration) to your skin.

If you have eczema, dry air can make your skin feel worst.  Running a cool mist humidifier at night, along with using a good moisturizer like All Over Butter or Ultimate Hydration, can make a world of difference. Be sure to keep the humidifier clean to avoid further health issues. 

All Over Butter and Ultimate Hydration are both available on a subscription.  You will get 10% off of the normal price and free shipping.  You can get it delivered every month or every other month.  You can cancel at anytime.  

Being aware of triggers is crucial to successfully managing eczema. When Samantha was first diagnosed with eczema, her formula being an eczema trigger was the furthest thing from my mind. I immediately changed our laundry detergent and paid close attention to anything we was putting on her skin.  She was still having severe breakouts and we couldn't figure out why.  A friend of mines suggested keeping a food journal for a few day.  I was able to narrow down her trigger to her formula.

One of the formula options was a soy milk.  We switched to that and she would vomit and have sever diarrhea. So sever that daycare wouldn't allow her to return for a few days.  After consulting with her pediatrician, I found out she was lactose intolerant. I immediately saw an  improvement in her skin after removing dairy.

When she was old enough to eat table food, we started to more breakouts after she ate pasta.  Which was another beast in itself.

I will probably get on your nerves by talking about journaling so much.  Journaling can save your life when all else fails.    

Have a fantastical day.

Chaundra and Joe Turner

www.chathamnaturalskincare.com

There is is huge correlation between gluten intolerance and eczema.  When Samantha turned 2, we were finally able to get an allergy test. We found out that she suffered from several allergens that would trigger a flair-up.  She had environmental allergens such as tree's, grass, as well as a few food intolerance.  She had both a lactose intolerance as well as a gluten intolerance.   Her gluten intolerance was the toughest for us. She would have severe eczema flair-ups within 24 - 48 hours after she had gluten.

At the time, I had no clue that gluten was in a lot of things. We had to educate our family on what gluten was.  It was hard keeping her 100% gluten free.  We were able to keep her about 90% gluten free.  

If we knew she was going to a birthday party, we would bring our own cupcakes or bring a rice krispy treat and use the frosting from the birthday cake.  If we knew she was going to visit grandma, we would make sure she didn't have any gluten during the week because she might unknowingly have some at grandma's house.  If we were going to a family dinner, we would bring a gluten free alternative so that she would be able to have a similar diner item. 

She became well aware of her eczema flair-ups.  She knew they occurred after she ate bread or pasta.  By the time she was 3 and a half, she would be sure to ask if the dish was gluten free. 

This eczema journey has been such a learning experience for us.  But we will do anything to decrease the number of flair-ups.   What are your alternatives for your kids with food allergies?

We can't wait to hear from you.

Chaundra and Joe Turner

www.chathamnaturalskincare.com